Anointing of the Sick

Through the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the whole Church commends those who are ill to the Lord Jesus, that he raise them up and save them. By this sacrament, those who suffer are united to the Passion and death of Christ. The Lord himself showed great concern for the sick and commanded his followers to do likewise. Through this sacrament, Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness, providing them with the strongest means of support.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) explains that "for those who are about to depart from this life, the church offers the person penance, anointing of the sick, and the Eucharist as Viaticum (food for the journey) given at the end of life." The anointing of the sick begins with the penitential right, followed by the Liturgy of the Word and the anointing with oil of the sick. Anointing of the sick can only be performed by a priest or a bishop.